Next important step: create a folder to use as virtual C:\ in dosbox.
Open 'computer', browse to c:\users\your name\ and create a new folder named oldgames.

Now open your start menu, open dosbox menu items, open configuration,
click on edit configuration, will open your dosbox 0.73 config file in notepad.
*If you want multiple personalised conf files read the dosbox readme to know how to proceed, but for most users the default config file will do fine*
Scroll the whole way down to header [autoexec] and add:
mount c "c:\users\your name\oldgames"
c:

Save and exit.

Run dosbox now, if you did it all correctly dosbox will start up with a C:\ prompt ready.

Using a virtual C located in your personal folders will avoid getting all kind of troubles installing/saving games running in dosbox 0.73 / Windows 7.

If you have a partitioned harddisk, you also simply can create an 'oldgames' folder on your D: partition (or E: F: ...).
Adapt your mount lines accordingly.

Last edited by dosraider on Wed Mar 19, 2014 6:02 am; edited 2 times in total

http://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1If for some reason you want to keep an older version of dosbox besides 0.74, no problem, they won't interfere with each other.
==> But do NOT use the ol'dosbox conf files with 0.74.

As for W8:
Basically the same of Win7.
Be sure to use the latest version of dosbox!!

Also certainly use your home folders or another partition than C:
(don't mind the color scheme, not my PC .....)

Mounting and using old CDs can give some problems, (*can*) , If that's the case use a CD image and dosbox's excellent imgmount.

If you need a soft that can create dosbox compatible ISO or BIN-CUE
http://www.imgburn.com/
is highly recommended.
In fact I would strongely advise to always use a CD image, as those old games usually do a lot of CD reads, gonna give problems with spinup-spindowns, even heat.....all avoided by using a CD image.

Automount on D: partition
If you don't have/want to use another partition than C use
c:\users\your name\oldgames
or similar, but stay in your own folders, don't mess around on c:\root.
\oldgames\ folder must be created manually first.